


cold breeze & warmth of the sun.

by Skeletus



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 21:23:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16773184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeletus/pseuds/Skeletus
Summary: if charles had arrived in time.just a drabble.spoilers!!finish the game first.





	cold breeze & warmth of the sun.

**Author's Note:**

> you can view this and future drabbles @ madstag.tumblr.com im more likely to upload future stuff there (its not showing up in ship tags yet as its a baby blog) i also take reqs if y'all have any. i dont use proper grammar much in terms of capitals as i have limited right hand movement please excuse.  
> (if you're wondering about his injury i mixed the two possible endings for arthur)

charles found him at the end of a blood trail. not far from their latest camp. _stupid sentimental cowboy. just had to come back for_ _what was left of your family._ he was perched precariously close to the edge of the cliff, barely sitting up with his back against the stone cliff. his legs sprawled out oddly and his hands had gone limp where charles had assumed they were once holding whatever wound had painted the cold rock crimson.

eventually he must’ve saw no hope in it, or lost the strength to stop the flow of blood that had now since slowed as skin turned pale. charles found he also lacked the strength, his feet feeling impossibility heavy. maybe if he turned around he’d turn again to find himself alone. _would that be better? if he never knew? would the outcome be different?_

the wind passed through him from behind, chilling his core and blowing leaves and twigs along the ground. almost immediately the other man perked up, his head rolling to the side to look his way. for a moment his reddened eyes seemed as bright and lively as they once were; his chest seized at the sight.

“ah - charles. i uh, thought i recognized your-” _scent._ arthur trailed off in surprise, out of breath but in his usual affectionate tone before hacking coughs racked his body almost as soon as the words stopped. the sound was harsh and wet as blood had filled his throat and his body fought to get hold of itself.

it broke the weight on charles’ feet that once held him rigid and he found himself kneeling at the others side, rubbing firmly at the space between his shoulder blades. eventually the coughs quieted and arthur took a shaky breath, clearing his throat a couple times over.

“sit with me, would ya?” the once powerful voice came out as a distant wheeze, eyes unfocused staring into the sun just over charles’ shoulder. they were no doubt burning as the sun pierced them though he made no attempt to blink the light away, soaking it in instead.

“yeah.” was all he said, untrusting of his voice to say more. the rocks shifted together under his weight as he moved forward and carefully lifted the feeble man’s shoulders forward enough to slip behind them and slide down the rock, letting arthur lean back against his chest.

there was an echo of wildlife that sounded along with the wheezing breaths beneath him. **_it was too quiet_**. charles almost had the urge to yell the silence off, scare the birds from their trees as how dare they act as if none of it mattered. the world seemed like it ended at the edge of the cliff not far from their feet, and he could see no farther.

they lay like that awhile, in unnerving silence from the once talkative man. if everyone else in the world had gone silent you could have counted on arthur to fill the void with stories and small talk. for now staring at the setting sun seemed enough and he wasn’t going to tell him otherwise.

“ _hey. hey_.” he protested but it fell on deaf ears as arthur suddenly shifted, wincing and grunting as he used what remained of his strength to turn himself sideways in charles’ arms, face settling into the crook of his neck. between them he felt the thin sheen of sweat that beaded the other’s face from the effort, a deep breath traveled along his throat.

“does it hurt?” charles asked softly after the silence became too loud. his fingers grazing along arthur’s back; tracing over and around each jutting bone. _so thin. frail. the shell of arthur morgan. spirit dim and fading with the light._

after a while he could feel him shake his head slowly, his nose nuzzling the space where charles’ neck and jaw met. “ _..feels like slippin’ into a **warm** bath._” he spoke of it quietly and almost fondly, as if at this point in his life letting himself bleed out is the only selfish luxury he’s allowed himself.

as the light disappeared behind the tips of the trees, a cool wild blew past them; rustling the leaves and leaving goosebumps along his arms. the flesh beneath his hands remained soft as he rubbed along it, it only took him a moment, he knew. that along with the cold breeze and warmth of the sun, had gone arthur morgan.


End file.
